there was a story in the paper today that had me thinking.  After the initial outrage about the story I'm now a bit confused.

The story is about a girl who is planning to make her fortune by breeding minature shar pei's and selling them on for £2,000.  They are rare she says and she is the "first recognised breeder of minature shar pei" according to the newspaper.  recognised by who though? :rolleyes: 

I'm not going to put any details on the forum so I don't advertise her but the thing that got me thinking is that Scottish Enterprise have given her £1400 to set up her business selling these pups.  This means she is running a business to make profit breeding and selling dogs so in essence the Government are backing puppy farmers.  If I was to approach Scottish Enterprise and ask them for money to buy a dog would they give it to me :rolleyes:  As if....  how on earth are people supposed to tackle puppy farming when Scottish Enterprise are actively encouraging it?  Grrr. 

Wasnt the government a few years back encouraging farmers to diversify and i think dog breeding was included in that.

The council here give grants to breeders for exactly this.............very sad. I wonder how many of the puppy farms here and there are many have had the councils money.

That is disgusting.I am speechless!

The welsh Assembly have done the same breding for dogs is legal and a business so schemes to help new businesses will give money to such people.  The fact that this is morally wrong is another matter.

It might be worth pointing out that such businesses cause money to need to be spent dealing with stray and abandoned dogs, but as most rescues are charities I don't suppose they are bothered.

Their main interest is in ensuring they get their cut in taxes from the business.

These economic notes make it quite clear they realise what the different types of breeding are:http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/bens/ben14.htm  their interest in ensuring licensing is to ensure they get teh money.

What If I set up a business for rehoming rescue dogs?  Would I get government funding for that do you think?  :rolleyes:

If you can convince them it's financially viable I'm sure they'd help. They have no morals.

Well if I worked on my business plan and stressed the good it would do for the government....*thinks maybe this could be a good sideline to degree*

Rescue - Get dog for Free, Sell dog as funny name with fake made up documentation as "new rare breed" price at £1000 (less for older dogs), could also be recycling ;)

Sadly there are con artists who trawl adverts for dogs free to good home adn then either sell them on or breed from them.

When the welsh assembly offered grants to farmers through farming connect to go in to dog breeding thee was a public outcry, so much so that the welsh assembly backed down and the grants are no longer available for this purpose. The same needs to happen against this policy taking place in Scotland. Make a fuss and get the media involved and other interested parties. It can work.

roxanne, because you are just a young thing you would be entitled to lots of additional grants too. 

I set up my business before my 31st birthday so got a business start up grant of £1K but if I had been under 25 I would have got even more.  If your business could make a profit (even if it is from other peoples stupidity and gullibility) then you are onto a winner.  you go girl!

it would be funny if it wasn't really happening :rolleyes: